Authorization bypass via implicit nil queries
Published Jan 10, 2023 · Updated Apr 9, 2025
Improper nil handling in Ecto 2.2.0 allows remote attackers to make applications execute unintended database queries via crafted API fields. Ecto.Repo.Queryable.query_for_get_by converts a nil Repo.get_by clause into an is_nil predicate instead of rejecting the comparison, so attacker-controlled JSON null values can target records whose security-sensitive field, such as a token, is NULL. Exposure requires an application to pass remote input into Repo.get_by or Repo.get_by!, and resulting record access remains bounded by the application's query and authorization logic.
Summary
What happened
Improper nil handling in Ecto 2.2.0 allows remote attackers to make applications execute unintended database queries via crafted API fields. Ecto.Repo.Queryable.query_for_get_by converts a nil Repo.get_by clause into an is_nil predicate instead of rejecting the comparison, so attacker-controlled JSON null values can target records whose security-sensitive field, such as a token, is NULL. Exposure requires an application to pass remote input into Repo.get_by or Repo.get_by!, and resulting record access remains bounded by the application's query and authorization logic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2017-20166
- Published
- Jan 10, 2023
- Updated
- Apr 9, 2025
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-754, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 10, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 9, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
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What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Repo.get_by nil-clause demonstrationproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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